


Regardless of what they think, I know you're an amazing person

by supercali



Series: Our Family (and other animals) [1]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Adoption, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, family fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-23 03:31:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11981208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercali/pseuds/supercali
Summary: It's a long process, adoption. Can Aaron and Robert make it through?





	Regardless of what they think, I know you're an amazing person

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt fill set in my little family universe!
> 
> I'm not an expert on adoption and I've read through a few websites so I hope I've not made too many mistakes.

They’ve done all they can. They’ve sat through meetings, filled in paperwork, sent off letters. They’d even dealt with being turned down by the first agency they’d tried. Aaron had taken that the hardest, convinced it was because of him. He had the criminal record after all, not that there was anything to suggest that was the reason they were rejected. Nothing Robert or anyone else said could convince him otherwise and the rows that followed in the weeks after had shook the house and sent Liv scurrying to the pub to live for days on end.

After that he’d pulled away from Robert, back into himself, closed off, angry, like the old Aaron, not the person he’d worked hard to be since he came out of prison. It had taken all of Robert’s patience not to react, not to push because that never worked.

All the while he’d been quietly researching more agencies, ready for when Aaron wanted to try again. He knew he would be, he’d been the one to suggest it in the first place.

The letter had arrived on a Wednesday, perfectly innocent looking. Robert had picked it up and stared at it, too nervous to open it and anyway he wouldn’t, not without Aaron. He didn’t know how they’d cope with another rejection. It had to be good news. He’d carried it in his pocket all day, the weight of it pressing down on him. Typical that it would be a day when Aaron was out on a long scrap run and wouldn’t be home until late.

“What’s this?” Aaron had asked when he came in, weary and probably hungry, to find two glasses of whisky on the table, the letter propped up between them. “When did this get here?”

“This morning. Didn’t want to...not without you.”

“What if it’s bad?” There’s a quiver in his voice and Robert can’t help but go to him, holding him close.

“It’ll be fine. _We’ll_ be fine...no matter what.”

“But if it’s because of me, if they think I’m not the right type of person…” He sounds almost in tears as he pulls himself from Robert’s grasp. He watches as he downs the glass of whisky, grimacing at the burn in his throat.

“Then clearly they aren’t the right people to help us. You heard what they said, there’s no reason…”

“But…”

“Stop it. Regardless of what they think, I know you’re an amazing person, and any child would be lucky to have you as their Dad.”

It takes a good few seconds but eventually Aaron nods. “Open it.”

*****

It’s months of more meetings, visits and questions before anything happens and they were both tired of waiting, jumping every time the phone rang or a letter arrived. Every day that passed meant another bit of hope drifting away. It was taking more and more effort to distract themselves from the thought of it all going wrong.

Ironically it’s the first day that he hasn’t consciously thought about it all when the phone rings. Aaron is in the shower, after they’d spent the morning in bed, taking advantage of Liv being away on a school trip. He’s making coffee and the noise makes him jump in the quiet of the Mill. When he hangs up he stares at the phone, not quite believing what he’s heard.

“Robert?” It’s the hand on his arm that knocks him out of his stupor, making him look up into Aaron’s concerned eyes. “What is it?”

“That…” He swallows, licks his lips, “That was Anna.” They both liked their social worker and she’d been great about keeping them informed so it wasn’t out of the blue for her to call. “She wants to see us this afternoon.” The grip on his arm tightens.

“It’s bad isn’t it?”

“No.” He finally pulls himself together and smiles at his husband. “Sorry, no, it’s good. It’s just...not what we expected.”

“Go on. Or do I need something stronger than this?” He asks holding up his mug of coffee. “Robert, you’re starting to freak me out.”

“She said that there’s a brother and sister. They were being adopted by their foster parents but they had to pull out. She wants to talk to us, thinks we might be suitable.” He knows that’s not the right word but his brain has stopped cooperating.

“We said we were ok with that. You are, right?”

“Yeah, course. She said that the next step would be meeting with her and their social worker but she needed to talk to us first.” She hadn’t given anything away but he thought he sensed something. Maybe he was overthinking. He’d done that a lot lately.

“She would have said if it was something bad, you know that. Anna’s good.” Ever since they’d been accepted Aaron had been the calm one, it had been him who would worry, convince himself he wouldn’t be good enough and it would be Aaron calming him down.

“This could be it, after all this time.”

*****

“Robert? I need you to talk to me.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not. We don’t have to do this, I can go back in there and tell her we’ve changed our minds.” He didn’t want to, and he knew Robert didn’t but this was just a bit too close to home.

“No!” He gripped Aaron’s hand so hard his knuckles turned white. “No, it was just, nothing like what I thought she’d say.”

“I’m still not doing this if you’re not sure. If it’s going to bring back too many memories.”

“They’re never far away anyway. Maybe this...maybe it’s a way for me to use what happened as a way to help them, I don’t know, but we can do this, can’t we?” Aaron nods and leans over to kiss him before starting the car.

*****

Of course it wasn’t that easy, they still had a lot of hoops to jump through but eventually everything had gone their way and in under twenty four hours they were bringing their children home. Robert couldn’t sleep. He managed to move Aaron’s arm from round his waist without waking him and slipped from the bed.

He finds himself in the room they’ve decorated for William They’d asked him what he liked and it had taken a few repeats of the question before he’d answer. He was so shy and quiet, unlike his sister, but Robert had seen the sadness in his eyes, knew he remembered his parents, was old enough to understand what had happened. It had taken a lot of visits before he would talk to them in anything but single word answers but he thought they were slowly making progress. The room was all ready, the animals painted on the wall, the bedcovers just the right shade of blue. It was perfect.

He moves into the other room, right next door, all bright and purple. Charlotte hadn’t had any trouble telling them what she wanted, she was a right little chatterbox. Their first visit had been at the park near the social worker's office and she’d strolled right up to Aaron and demanded he push her on the swings.

They were ready, he knew that, so why did he feel so out of sorts. He ran his fingers along the row of books on the white bookshelf that he’d put together just a couple of days before, all the while being heckled by Liv.

“Can’t sleep?” He turns round to see Liv standing in the doorway, hair flowing round her shoulders, arms folded.

“Something woke me up. You?”

“Chatting with Gabby.” He doesn’t even have to say anything, just gives her a look. “You do know I’m an adult now, I can stay up as late as I like.”

“You can’t be laying in bed all day tomorrow, Liv. I mean it.”

“I won’t! Come on old man, I’ll make you a cuppa.” He smiled at her back as he followed her down the stairs. It was summer and she was back from Uni, filling the place with noise and he realised just how much he missed it. “So come on, why can’t you sleep?”

“Just...it’s a lot, you know? Tomorrow.”

“Well yeah. You two, parents. Bound to be scary.” He tuts as she puts the cup down in front of him with more force than necessary, spilling some over the sides. “Oh hang on, no I think you’ll do just fine. You’ve got the parental ‘tut’ already.”

“Yeah alright. Do you really think we can do this?”

“You did ok with me didn’t you? When I moved in, did you think I’d end up at Uni?”

“Can’t say it was my first thought.” He laughs. “They’ve been through so much already.”

“Then you and Aaron are the best people to be there for them if you ask me. Is this about your Mum?” He looked up, he’d never told her. “Aaron told me.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. Am I projecting something onto them, hoping they’ll help me, rather than the other way round?” When Anna had told them their story, that they’d lost their parents in a fire and they had no family left he couldn’t speak.

“Does it have to be one or the other?”

“Probably not. When did you get to be so sensible?”

“Well living with you was bound to rub off eventually.” She looks behind him and gets to her feet. “I’m going to bed. You’re going to be great.” She leans down to hug him and then she’s gone. The next thing Aaron’s wrapping his arms round him chin resting on the top of his head.

“What’s going on?” He asks stealing Robert’s tea from him.

“I was just...couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d check everything was ready.”

“Which we did five times already. Come back to bed. It’s sorted. We’re going to be fine.”

“Mr Confident now are we?”

“I am. The kids are going to be fine, they already love it here, and you know they seem to like us too.” Robert lets out a laugh at what is quite an understatement.

“It’s not always going to be easy. You know Will…”

“Yeah, I do, but we’ll deal with it. You’re good with him already.”

“I don’t want to screw this up.” He leans back as Aaron cards his fingers through his hair.

“You won’t. We won’t. Now come back to bed…best make the most of the peace before we have to be responsible parent types.” Robert’s smiling as he follows him up the stairs, their hands clasped together.

They’d be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm @nooneelsecomesclose17 on tumblr. Pop by and pay me a visit!


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